


Aaron

by RainbowArches



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Gen, Gender Fluid Akela, I Believe in Jasper Sitwell, Transgendered Jasper
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-29
Updated: 2014-12-29
Packaged: 2018-03-04 02:47:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2906408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainbowArches/pseuds/RainbowArches
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Akela and Jasper come out to each other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Aaron

Aaron was going back to work tomorrow, sling be damned. He liked work because it made him feel ambitious and energized and useful; he liked to get stuff done. He couldn’t do the usual exciting stuff with a broken arm so he got sent home. Whenever something like that happened, he went through a brief period of feeling restless, anxious, and frustrated, before reaching acceptance and sitting around watching T.V. He didn’t like T.V. and he felt useless with nothing to do, but at the same time lost all inspiration to do anything. He was beginning to mold into the upholstery from inactivity. Luckily, a knock at the door interrupted his moody channel flipping.

“Hi. Is Akela home?”

Aaron froze. It was Jasper with a box of pizza. Aaron had always thought of Jasper as Coulson’s other half. Coulson was the mentor who believed in tough love, who pushed you to meet your full potential and who always had your best interests at heart. Jasper was the big brother, a little more relaxed, a little more chummy, the guy who cheered you up after an exhausting mentorship. Aaron and Jasper had become good friends the past few months. That is to say, _Akela_ and Jasper had become good friends. Aaron had always been Akela at work, and had never told anyone that sometimes she was a he who should be called Aaron. He told himself it was because it had never come up. Akela had always been a woman at work, so why bother coming out just yet? That wasn’t true. Akela had once or twice felt more male at work, but stayed female because, really, coming out was scary and she just wasn’t ready yet. But now Jasper was here, frowning at Aaron, wondering where Akela was. Here goes.

“Jasper, it’s me.”

He blinked. “Akela?”

“Yeah.” Aaron could hear his heart pounding and he was gripping the doorknob pretty hard, but other than that he hoped he looked calm.

“Wow. You look good. I didn’t even recognize you.”

He tilted his head. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Jasper’s eyes went wide. “No! I mean- not that you don’t look good as a girl, but you also- just-“ He was blushing. “Jump in any time.”

Aaron smiled slightly, his nerves soothed by Jasper’s flustered state. “Come in.”

Jasper put the pizza on the coffee table and sat next to Aaron on the couch. “So.”

“So. Sometimes I’m a girl; sometimes I’m a guy. Gender fluid, is what that’s called.”

Jasper nodded. “And today you’re a guy.”

“Today I’m a guy. Aaron.” He held his hand out. “Nice to meet you.”

Jasper smirked and shook his hand. “Nice to meet you, Aaron. I’m Jasper.”

“I know.”

“Okay.”

Jasper seemed pretty relaxed and unbothered, which made Aaron feel a lot better. He wondered if he should elaborate on gender fluidity a little more, but Jasper didn’t seem to need that. That was a relief, because while Aaron was prepared to answer any questions, he wanted to enjoy the stage of a friend being in the know and completely unbothered, where Aaron didn’t have to explain anything and he could just be.

“I brought comfort food,” said Jasper, gesturing at the pizza. “Dig in.”

“Thanks,” said Aaron, taking a slice.

Jasper picked up the remote. “Anything good on?”

“No, never.”

Jasper looked affronted. “What do you mean, never? There’s got to be something.”

“Put on whatever. I’ll probably fall asleep half way through.”

“Well, how about a movie? Got any movies?”

“Sure. Go pick something.”

Jasper found his horrible sci-fi collection and put one of those in. “I’m supposed to make sure you take your painkillers and stay home tomorrow,” he said, sitting back down and taking a slice of pizza.

Aaron scowled. “You’re supposed to be on my side. You going to keep me company tomorrow?”

Jasper snorted. “Nope. I know what those painkillers are like. You’ll be asleep half the time. It’ll be boring.”

“You suck.”

They fell silent for a while, munching on pizza and rolling their eyes at the shoddy effects and cheesy theatrics playing out on the screen.

“I used to be called Jasmine,” said Jasper.

Aaron looked over at him. He was still staring blandly at the T.V., but he was slightly tense after revealing that bit of information. “So you’re-“

“I’m a trans man.”

“Look, just because I came out to you, don’t feel pressured-“

“I’m not pressured.” Jasper shifted slightly to look directly at him. “I just wanted you to know. Coulson knows, and Fury knows, and a couple of the doctors. I get the whole coming out thing, okay? It’s really tough. I just thought you should know that when you’re ready, your friends will make it really easy for you.”

Aaron swallowed hard. He wasn’t going to cry; he didn’t _do_ crying. But Jasper was such a sweetheart. He moved closer so that he could lean his head on Jasper’s shoulder. “Thanks.”

“But you still have to stay home tomorrow.”

“Mean.”


End file.
